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Hello--and an automated readiness setting tip

I started working on VWs on the side, full time gig being an alignment technician and general service guy at a tire shop when I lived in Michigan. I eventually moved to the California coast and hung out my own shingle working primarily on TDIs.

With that in mind, since I cannot yet post in the tips section (post count minimum not yet achieved?) I figured I'd post a handy tip here along with my intro thread.

Ironically, it's a tip for setting readiness on gas cars. I'm sure some of you full time techs are aware of the "end of line" or "automated test sequence" readiness script most 2007 and newer gas vehicles have. On KWP cars, it's basic setting 200, on UDS vehicles it will usually contain "automated test sequence" in the wording for this basic setting. It will go through and do all the catalyst checks, O2 sensors, EVAP, variable cam timing etc. without having to go to each individual test yourself. But, this also means you're sitting in the car with one foot on the brake and the other pressing the throttle to the floor for 20 minutes or more.

On *some* of these cars, not all, it can be done without you being in the car once you get it started. The tip? A security access/login code you might already be familiar with, in particular for doing DPF regens on diesels.

This time, instead of instructing you to hold the brake, then once you do that, hold the throttle to the floor at the same time, it will ask you to press the brake, once it sees you've depressed it, it will instruct you to release the brake pedal. Then it will instruct you to press the throttle to the floor, once it detects that you've done so, it will instruct you to release, and then it informs you it has begun the test sequence. At that point, you're free to get out of the car and do other things while the car revs up and down and goes through the whole string of tests to set readiness monitors.

It's a heck of a time saver at least to have it go through its tests without you being in the car and you can go clean things up, put tools away, finish putting engine covers on, do paperwork, whatever you need to while the car is doing its thing without your input.

Anywho, looking forward to gleaning some more knowledge from the smart guys here and contributing some myself.

I'm sure some of you full time techs are aware of the "end of line" or "automated test sequence" readiness script most 2007 and newer gas vehicles have. On KWP cars, it's basic setting 200, on UDS vehicles it will usually contain "automated test sequence" in the wording for this basic setting. It will go through and do all the catalyst checks, O2 sensors, EVAP, variable cam timing etc. without having to go to each individual test yourself.

Used that a time or two before, yeah.

Originally Posted by dieseldub

But, this also means you're sitting in the car with one foot on the brake and the other pressing the throttle to the floor for 20 minutes or more.

On *some* of these cars, not all, it can be done without you being in the car once you get it started. The tip? A security access/login code you might already be familiar with, in particular for doing DPF regens on diesels.

The first time I tried, it didn't work. The security access was accepted, but I didn't get the hands-off (well, feet-off) procedure. The second time, I did get the different version of the prompts and it behaved as you described. I think what happened is, even though I had security access on that diagnostic session both times, the first time I entered it before starting the engine. The second time, the engine was already running.